Be happy in my stead
by vermouth.xD
Summary: Gene didn't die in Japan, but rather in England, when he's on his way to the airport to finally propose to her two-year-long girlfriend who's in Japan. (Complete Summary in Inside) ,
1. If only

**Chapter 1 – If only…**

**[SUMMARY]:**

Gene didn't die in Japan, but rather in England, when he's on his way to the airport to finally propose to her two-year-long girlfriend who's in Japan. Now, Noll decided to go to Japan to personally inform his supposedly fiancee, but how will he able to tell her when she called him 'Gene' and pulled him into a kiss the moment they met...  
Seeing how upset she became, he played as his brother to save her from depression, when Gene didn't arrive on the day she was expecting him.  
How long will he able to be **'Gene'** for her?  
Will he tell her the truth, knowing that it will surely break not only the heart of the woman whom he learned to love, but his' too...?

* * *

Noll watched his brother at the doorway as he packed his things, he didn't failed to notice his brother's apparent happiness, and glow, he's so much in love. He will go to Japan to finally propose to Mai – his two-year-long girlfriend, he haven't seen her personally, but he knows that she loves his brother as much as Gene loves her, because she still choose to be his girlfriend even though she's continents away from him.

Gene told him _every detail _about their relationship 'for future references, when you get yourself a girlfriend' as his reason, so he told him about Mai, their anniversary, their useless fights, how they make up, and how they met. The two met when Gene went to Japan to study, as an exchange student, at the same school as Mai, 'it's love at first sight, Noll' that's what he always told him. As where every relationship started, they become friends, knowing each other more, he knows that she's an orphan – like them, but a certain Ayako Matsuzaki, a doctor, adopted her since she already know her since she was a child.

He looked around at Gene's room, there are a lot of photos of the two of them, but on his wall there's a moderate size of Mai's picture in a fame, a stolen shot when she was sleeping at their class. Gene's life will be happier when come home from Japan, he will surely bring his future-bride-to-be, he already expected him to get married first – he's more sociable, than him; more easy to be with, than him, but he's smarter than him, he mentally chuckled, Gene was the light, and he's the shadow, some people only know him because of his brother, and some people know him as 'Gene's twin' not by his name.

"Noll, I'm drowning from your deep thoughts!" Gene joked, he rolled his eyes, that's also one of the reason why more people like him, he's childish.

He went to his room and reached at Mai's picture on his study table, he stared at her _she's pretty, rather, beautiful_, he thought, brown hair with brown eyes, and her smile that full of life, he also want to find a beautiful girl like her and fall in love, and be happy just like his brother "So, this girl will officially be my future sister-in-law, huh." He said. Gene went to him, "Yeah, if she will start to live here, there will be two of us who will tick off you." He chuckled, Noll glared at him "Don't you dare! I barely have patience with you."

Gene laugh "Too bad, she's more annoying than me."

He rolled his eyes "I bet." He sober "When will you propose to her?"

"At her birthday, two months from now. I will surprise her."

He raised his eyebrow "Two months? Then why will you go there now?"

Gene grinned ear-to-ear "We will be working to make you an uncle already"

Naru blushed at his pronouncement "Idiot! Do it when you're already married!" he scolded, still blushing hard, and it made his brother laugh harder. "Have you already bought a ring here? Or you prefer on Japan?" he asked

"I already did" he went to his luggage and pull out a small box, he tossed it to him and Naru caught it, he opened it and revealed a beautiful blue tear-shaped diamond, and two small sapphire on both sides, "It's beautiful, just like her" his brother smile, "Thanks" he said.

"But why a colored diamond?"

"A plain diamond won't suit her, it's too plain and simple. When I saw that, it feels warm, and it reminded me of her."

He chuckled and gave it back to him, one of their butler informed Gene that the taxi is already waiting outside, he asked him to carry his luggage downstairs, "Hey, let me drive you to the airport" Noll offer as they follow their butler, they are now standing at the main door, Gene shook his head "Thanks Noll, but no need. I know you're busy, idiot." Gene stared at him, "You can give me your blessings instead." He grinned.

Right, blessings from him, "Congratulations in advance Eugene, I know how much you love each other. Best wishes, on both of you, take care and take care of her." And he hugged him, he feel that he hugged him back.

Gene smiled "Thank you Noll, you're the best brother ever. And oh, if you can spare a little day off, I want you to go in Japan, and meet her personally."

He rolled his eyes "I'll try. Now go, you'll be late. She's already expecting you right?" as he said it, Gene ride the taxi. He rolled down the window and wave at him "Take care Noll, I'll call when I got there." He nodded, as the taxi started drive to the airport.

* * *

He looked at the clock it's 11:30 in the morning, it's been thirty minutes since Gene went to the airport, and it's been thirty minutes since Noll, in his own room and feels… uneasy, anxious, and worried… worried about Gene. He groaned _he's already in the airport by now_ he reminded his self. He tried to sit on his bed and read a book but he can't focus on it, his mind is on his brother, he decided to call him, he stood up and went to his study table where his phone is, and heard a crack sound, when he turned on the table beside his bed, his eyes widened for a moment and his heart beats rapidly fast, he don't personally believe in foreboding but this… it feels different, when he saw a crack on the picture frame on Gene's smiling face, he hurriedly pick up his phone and dialed his number, but it was off. He looked at the time, he still have two hours before his flight, he still allowed to use a phone, he notice a shattered glasses on his table, when he check on it, it was his brother's solo picture frame, the glass on the frame didn't crack, but totally shattered! Now he's already worried, frighten, and scared, he can't calm down until he heard his brother's voice and telling him he's fine. He ran his fingers thru his hair as he dialed his brother's number again, but it was a voicemail "Idiot, call me as long as you received this. Do you understand?" he said, and hang up the phone.

He decided to wait for his call on their living room, ten minutes later, his phone ring it was Gene, he supposed to feel relief, but rather he feels a surge of fear, "Idiot –" his about to scold him but the person on the other line cut it off

"Oliver Davis?" the person on the other line asked, he sounds so serious, it's obviously not Gene! He heard a sirens on the background, and lot of people talking, but he heard a certain line clearly _"Hurry and bring the young man to the hospital" _He gasped

"Where's Eugene?" He asked softly

"Sir I need you to come at the city hospital. We brought your brother there." Said the person, he hang up the phone and immediately get the car keys. He drive his way to the city hospital, _stay safe Gene, please. Mai's waiting for you. Don't leave her, don't leave us, you're the only family that I have._ He silently prayed. After more or less ten minutes, he arrived and two police officers, in their late thirties greeted him with a sad expression on their faces, no not sad, but… anguish.

"Where's my brother?" he asked raising his voice. He prepared his self for the worst, but it seems his mind won't accept it.

One of the officers reached and handed him two things – Gene's phone, and the jewelry box which hold his engagement ring for Mai, "I'm sorry," the officer said softly, "the doctor declared it as 'dead on arrival'" Noll's whole body went numb as the words tried to sink in in his mind, and tears flow rapidly from his eyes, with trembling hands, he take his brother's phone and the jewelry box, he them tightly "No" he whispered, still crying, shaking his head "No!" he shouted at the hospital's lobby, "What the hell happened?" he grabbed one of the officer's collar "Tell me what the hell happened! He's supposed to go to the airport, go to Japan, propose to her girlfriend, and get married! How the hell he ended up this way?!" he yelled at the officer, he don't care about people who's watching at them, he's angry at his self too, if only he insisted to drive him at the airport… he can't control his emotions anymore, he cried harder when he feel the officer hugged him, like a father who comforted his son, "We will tell you, when you calmed down" he said

"He's the only family that I have. Why? Why him? There are so many people who love him. How will I tell her about this?" he mumbled.

* * *

Noll is in his room staring at nothing, the funeral started for a while now, he can't take the pitiful eyes that the guests gave to him, so he decided to lock his self in his own room, he still can't accept that his brother is gone, tears started to emerge from his eyes again, remembering what the officers told him at the hospital awhile ago…

"_At the intersection, there's a ten-wheeler truck lose its control, and the driver on the taxi that he's riding on isn't fast enough to stepped on the break, he's too late when he already did, the truck crashed them already, and it squashed them between the railings while they are still in the car." The officer affirmed, God! He can't imagine it, how did he die horribly? He didn't deserved it! Noll put his palm on his face, trying to digest what he just heard._

"_What's the time of the accident?" he asked, his voice was quavering._

"_Around 11:30 in the morning"_

_His eyes widened for a moment, that's also the time he felt so uneasy, that's the time when he suddenly felt worried about him, that's the time when Gene's picture cracked and shattered._

"_His body is in the morgue, we will do the negotiation on the doctors, so you can take him home, and his luggage too." He nodded, they already left when he called their butler and made him prepare things for the funeral, he was shocked when he heard the news, and does what he asked him to do._

He went to his brother's room, how ironic, earlier they were both laughing in this room, but now he's crying and alone, Naru reached one of Mai's framed picture, teardrops dropped on it one by one, "I'm sorry Mai," he cried "I'm so sorry I took him away from you, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry if only I called him immediately when I started to feel uneasiness in my chest, if only I insisted to drive him to the airport, if only… if only I can turn back the time." He said over and over again, he got goose bumps when a cold air wrapped around his body, _"It's not your fault Noll"_ he heard his brother's voice saying it, he turned around but he saw nothing, the window also closed.

His brother is here, and he want him to know the decision that he came up with earlier "Gene… I will personally tell her what happened to you, she might think that you left her. Is that okay with you?" He asked, then he felt the eerie cold air again, "I'll take that as a yes."

He locked his brother's room and went to his own, he slumped his body onto his bed, "One week… I'll go to Japan and tell her what happen." He said to his self, and he let his emotions out by crying… again and again and again.


	2. Meeting her for the first time

**Chapter 2 – Meeting her for the first time**

* * *

One week had pass since Gene died, one week he felt so lonely and alone, one week for blaming his self, one week… one week trying to find the right words to tell her, about his brother's tragic accident. He write an email to her introducing his self and write everything what happen to her boyfriend but in the end he didn't sent it, she might not believe it, so he discarded that option; he was so tempted to call her instead, but he remembered Gene and him have the same voice, she might think that it's his brother's way of breaking up with her. So, he decided to meet her and personally tell her.

He took deep breaths before exiting the airport he's finally here in Japan, _You should be the one who's here Gene, _he thought. He call for a taxi now and decided to go to see her immediately, he brought Gene's phone and the engagement ring that he should supposedly give to her, he sighed "Gene, give me the courage to tell her the truth, and give her the strength to take the upcoming news that will surely break her heart." He softly said as he held them. He's so nervous when the taxi stopped at her apartment building, he want to back out, but he don't want her to have the wrong idea on why Gene didn't arrive on the day that she's expecting him, he paid the taxi and got his luggage, despite of his trembling hands, he knock softly. No answer. He knocked again. No answer again. He tried to turn the doorknob and it wasn't lock, he went inside to look for her but what welcomed him was her apartment in disarray. He looked around the bathroom and horrified from what he saw - a bottle of sleeping pills scattered on the floor, a razor blade covered with fresh blood, he shook his head, "No…" he said softly, he turned around when he heard a gasp, and there, he saw her standing covering her mouth from surprise and shock. He stare at her for a moment, disheveled, dark circles under her eyes, her eyes are not full of life like what he saw in the picture – it's dead and melancholic, she looked so pale and fragile, now he don't know how to say it anymore, all his courage are gone, and it looks like she will fall deeper into depression anytime now.

She walks towards him and her feet are obviously trembling, she cradled his face "Gene…" she softly said, tears flowing from her eyes, "Gene" she's sobbing now.

"Mai, I'm –" his next words were interrupted from what she did next, she pulled him and kissed him, his eyes widened and blinked many times swiftly, it's his first kiss and naturally, he don't know how to react or respond, _her lips are cold_ he thought, she release the kiss and breath some air, she hugged him tightly and cried onto his chest, "I tried to call you so many times but your phone is off, I thought… I thought you found someone else in England. I thought you're going to leave me." She said between sobs "I rather die, than living without you by my side." _That's why you attempt on committing suicide, _he thought, he carefully hugged her back which made her cry harder, _what should I do now? This is worst from what I'm expecting! _He mentally groaned, _what should I say? What should I do?. _Then he recall the things he saw from her bathroom, the sleeping pills, the razor blade, the blood, and she looked so… atrocious, lack of sleep, and he bet she's not eating properly too. He wanted to help her, he wanted to see those glowing eyes and smile – that his brother loved so much – even if his way is wrong, he took a deep breath ans composed his self "Shh. I'm sorry. I'm here now, you don't have to hurt yourself anymore." He said as tears slowly flowing from his eyes, _Gene I'm sorry, I can't tell her yet, not now that she's so vulnerable and fragile._

"Gene, don't you ever leave me alone like that again" she said, at least she calmed down a little.

He tighten his hug "I…" he choke back a sob "I will never leave you alone again Mai." he close his eyes letting his tears flow, not from sadness but from remorse...


	3. A Promise to Ayako

**Chapter 3 – A promise to Ayako**

* * *

Mai is sleeping peacefully on his side, hugging him. When he discreetly stood up, she woke up instantly "Where are you going?" she asked frantically, he panicked when he saw tears from her eyes, he reached her immediately and bring her to his chest "I'm not going to leave, okay? I will clean the living room, and make some food for us." He softly said, "Just sleep. Don't worry, I will still be here when you wake up." He smiled and kiss the crown of her head.

She looked at him "Promise?" she reached her little finger, he chuckled and intertwined his own little finger to hers "Promise." He said, he dazed and blushed when she kissed him, but let go after a moment, she smiled sweetly at him and caress his face "You're cute when you're blushing" she said and went back to sleep.

When he stood up and went to living room, he let out the groan that he's been holding. Dammit! He almost forgot that kissing is part of the relationship and as what Gene told him before, they are not afraid or ashamed to show their intimacy to each other when it comes to kissing, letting your partner feel that you really love her even if it's only thru a kiss, he groaned louder, and he _must_ get adapted to it too. He felt so damn guilty every time she kissed him, but he can't back out now, he don't want anything worst happen to her, he sighed, and start cleaning the living room of _their_ apartment, of course, he should live here too because he's aware that Mai and Gene are already living with each other for more than a year now. He's cleaning the bathroom when he heard a knock on the door, he peeked on the peephole and saw a red-haired woman standing outside, _Crap! Who's she?_ He panicked, but nevertheless of his panicked mind he opened the door, and the woman gasped when she laid her eyes on him, but suddenly narrowed "Who are you? Where's Mai?" she asked warily

"Mai's sleeping" he answered the second question, but avoided the first. And she seem to noticed it "You did not answer my first question, who are you?" her voice is now… confused.

"I'm… Gene." He said softly, the woman glared at him "Liar." She said "If you're Gene you're already exhilarating at the moment you saw me. But it seems you're nervous and looked panicked. I assume that you don't know me." She affirmed softly, he blanched for a moment and sigh admitting his defeat.

The woman went to the living room and sit on the sofa, she trailed her eyes on the room "Did you cleaned it?" she asked, he nodded and he went to the kitchen to make tea but it was empty! He looked at the fridge it was also empty! "It's empty, since Gene didn't arrive at the day she's expecting him to, last week." The woman bluntly said. He went to join her on the living room, and sit on the couch athwart to hers, she handed him the folder, and froze from the files inside it, it was a report on Gene's accident! _Why she investigated my brother? _He curiously thought, he looked at the woman and open his mouth to asked her but no words will come out.

"When Gene didn't arrive at the airport, Mai started to have a depression, she cried all-day, all-night, and she won't eat if I won't force her. Then things getting worst when her so-called friends keep on saying that he already left her and found someone new, someone who's better than her, and someone who deserved him more, and waiting for him is a waste of time. When she tried to call him everyday, his phone was always off, and that's when she started to overdose herself. I can't stand seeing her miserable state anymore, so I hired an investigator to go to England and find him, and that's what they got." She said referring to the folder on his hand. "I went here to tell Mai about it, but I didn't expect a stranger who looked like him, and open the door for me. Now, who are you?" she asked in a serious tone

He cleared his throat "I'm Oliver Davis, Gene's twin brother." Her eyes widened and gaped.

"You are Noll?" she asked, he feel so nostalgic hearing his nickname, when he nodded, she asked him again with a seething voice "Why are you here, and deceive Mai by _pretending _to be Gene?"

Shaking his head "I'm not deceiving her. Believe me. I went here to personally tell her what happened to Gene, but… its worst from what I'm expecting. She called me 'Gene' and cried onto me. I wanted to help her seeing how depressed she was, the bottle of sleeping pills, the razor with fresh blood on it –" he noticed the woman widened her eyes and turned pale when he mentioned the razor. "Oh my God!" she whispered,

He continued "That's why I can't… I can't just leave her alone and hurt herself more." He defended, he feel his tears starting to form on his eyes. The woman stared at him, it seems that she's not yet convinced "Tell me what _exactly_ happen to Gene." She behest. Noll told her everything, how his brother looked forward to propose to Mai, after telling her everything, the woman was dumbfounded and tears are flowing from her eyes, _why? Why she's affected by my brother's death too? Who is she in his life?_ He mentally asked.

She wiped her tears "I'm sorry, I still can't believe that's he's gone. I don't know how Mai will react when she find out about it." She looked at him sensing his silent questions, she chuckled softly "I'm Ayako… Matsuzaki Ayako, Mai's adoptive parent" she introduced, his eyes widened for a moment _so she's the doctor who adopted Mai_, "But, Gene started calling me 'mom' already, since he and Mai started living together. So I guess, you should call me 'mom' too."

"You're not angry that I'm pretending to be Gene?" he was surprised, he thought she will throw him out

She shook his head "You have your reason, and you wanted to help her, it's also hard on your part too, pretending to be someone else for the sake of your late brother's girlfriend. I won't object to that. But please, promise me one thing."

"What is it?"

"If time will come when she learned the truth, please make her understand that we're doing this for her sake." She plea

Noll smiled "Of course, Matsuzaki-san"

Ayako rolled her eyes "'Mom'" she rectified.

"Mom" he shyly said, and then he remembered to ask something "Why you didn't let her live with you when she's having a depression?"

She sober "She don't want to leave this house, Gene's the one who chose this place you know." she said plaintively, he was silent, he don't know what to say. So they are the same, he and Mai have been living like a pandemonium since Gene's death, he sighed, Ayako looked at her watch "I gotta go N-Gene." She took the folder on the table, "Make sure Mai won't find that." He reminded her softly as he guided her outside. When she's gone, he let out a breath that he's been holding, he's relief that there's someone who knows about what he's doing. He went back inside, and startled when he saw Mai standing on living room, he panicked _dammit! Did she heard everything?_ He frighteningly thought…


End file.
